


high tide

by maxxofbraavos



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Background Relationships, Budding Love, Contracts, Drinking, Epic Battles, F/F, Happy Ending, M/M, Pirates, Swearing, The Three Houses AU Bang (Fire Emblem)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:20:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29142861
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maxxofbraavos/pseuds/maxxofbraavos
Summary: dimitri has unearthed a magical map that will allegedly lead to the lost treasure of saint macuil. to find it, he hires renowned pirate claude von riegan and his crew. dimitri and his mage annette join the crew of the verdant wind on their perilous journey to find the treasure of the lifetime, and find love along the way.
Relationships: Annette Fantine Dominic/Lysithea von Ordelia, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Claude von Riegan
Comments: 10
Kudos: 39
Collections: The Three Houses AU Bang





	high tide

_ 1. _

_ Oh, I bid farewell to the port and the land _

_ And I paddle away from brave Fodlan's white sands _

_ To search for my long ago forgotten friends _

_ To search for the place I hear all sailors end _

_ x _

“And this is our Captain, Claude.” The First Mate of the Verdant Wind gestured to a man that stood just shorter than him. He was different from any man he’d met in Faerghus prior: his skin was kissed by years of sun, his ears sparkled with golden jewelry, much of his loosely-fitting clothing the same shade. Everything about him glowed. It made Dimitri feel dull somehow. He stretched his hand out to shake the Captain’s.

“Claude von Riegan,” he said.

“Prince Dimitri. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Captain.”

“The pleasure is all mine.” With a light tug Claude pulled Dimitri’s hand up to his lips and pressed a kiss against his knuckles.

“It isn’t customary in Faerghus for male nobility to be greeted with such frivolous formalities.” Dimitri lowered his hand carefully after the kiss, blushing red with embarrassment.

“Well it’s  _ customary _ on my ship.”

Dimitri swallowed his pride and took his situation into account. Faerghus was racing to find this treasure before another nation did. Claude von Riegan was one of the most notorious pirates in the world. The tales of his plunders were shared in hushed tones at tavern tables all across Fodlan, Almyra, Morfis, and even further. Von Riegan was known for a 

silver tongue that even the devil would be jealous of. He could talk himself out of any problem, or any bar bill, or so they said. His ship was glorious, orderly, and armed to the teeth. Dimitri needed this man’s skill, which the Kingdom of Faerghus was paying handsomely for, to get his hands of the Bounty of the Saint Macuil.

The legend of the treasure of St. Macuil had been around as long as time itself. Adventurers dedicated their lifetimes to finding it, many who disappear, and all who’ve failed in the past. Dimitri had been having dreams every night about the sea. Sparkling jewels found in a far away cove, on a faraway island, discoverable only by the world’s most confusing enchanted map. After a month without sleep, he gave the order to open up the vault. The map that countless seamen would die for was in there somewhere, amongst countless other documents and relics that had come into the possession of the Blaiddyd house over many generations. After days of searching, the map was located. Annette, the castle’s mage, quickly discerned leads on the treasure’s location. Then, they just had to find Claude. That part wasn’t hard. This voyage would be. 

When he received a message from the crown prince of Faerghus Claude was confused to say the least. Lysithea sought out Hilda, who found him eating lunch in his quarters. She said that Lysithea was playing a prank on them, and claiming that a prince was calling upon them for a job. The problem was that Lysithea never pulled pranks, he did. He rushed to Lysithea’s quarters, read her transcription of the message, and changed course to meet the prince in Faerghus immediately. Claude had been on the seas his whole life-- as a deckhand, a bosun, a navigator, and eventually as a Captain. He had seen former Captains go mad at the thought of Saint Macuil’s bounty. This whole time, the map had been sitting in a vault. Right there in Fodlan. Just… sitting. He pushed the ship to its brink in how fast they travelled there. A wildly handsome prince wanted him to hunt down the world’s most legendary treasure, and he was going to pay him for it, AND come with him? It was the contract of a lifetime. There were absolutely no downsides. 

He had heard once or twice that Prince Dimitri was a handsome young man. He was single, but not notoriously so. Claude had heard him to be business first, party… third, or fourth, or fifth. He knew he was a tall, blue-eyed blonde with fair skin, but no daydream could compare to the image of the taller man striding towards him on the deck of his ship. Claude was pretty big but good gracious, Dimitri stood inches taller than him with a broad chest and some of the finest winter clothes Claude had ever seen. Claude was momentarily at a loss for words as he first saw him. He regained his composure and persona quickly, but he hated that he had to recollect himself at all. He grinned at the pink blush that colored Dimitri’s cheeks. 

“When will we be leaving?” Dimitri asked. 

“My crew is still loading some supplies from the port, we have another hour or so before we set sail. Perhaps we can show you and your mage-- I didn’t catch your name?”

“Annette!” she said

“You and Annette to your quarters for the journey, and then we can all take a look at the map?”

“That sounds fine.” Dimitri sounded like there was something else to say, but Claude didn’t know what. 

“Hilda, why don’t you show Annette to the map room so she can meet Lysithea. Yuri,” he called, “Can you please take the Prince to his quarters?” Yuri also looked at Dimitri like he was a piece of meat. Claude couldn’t blame him. They started out the door and Dimitri quickly followed. Claude was left alone again, and he sighed in relief. 

The whole group met together in the map room. Dimitri recognized Annette when he arrived, she stood next to another girl who looked about her age with long, white hair. The way she dressed indicated that this must be the Verdant Wind’s mage, Lysithea. Yuri, the crewmate who led him to his room earlier, was here as well, scribbling in a book as they waited for the Captain and First Mate. Claude strode in with the same pink-haired girl from before, seemingly unbothered that they were the last ones to arrive. They pulled up chairs and sat at a large rectangular table in the center of the room. It looked older than them, weathered, with scratches around the wooden legs. Claude sat at the head of the table and his crew filled in one side. The other head was left open for Dimitri, the other side for Annette.

“So… can we see it?”

Dimitri knew what Hilda meant. He had been carrying the map in a leather tube all day, every day since they had taken it out of the vault. He took the tube and placed it on the table, screwed the end off, and slowly pulled the map out. The parchment was old, but not as aged as it could be, as the magic preserved it. Every head at the table turned to Lysithea as she stood up abruptly. She held her hands over the map, palms down, and closed her eyes. A hush fell over the entire group. Her hands glowed with magic, purple like her robes. New entries revealed themselves among the existing marks of black ink. Vibrant greens, blues, and reds marked warnings and directions on the map that not even Annette revealed in her attempt. Lysithea sat down with a sigh and Claude took her place over the map. The room remained silent.

“The handwriting on this thing is… awful.” Claude broke the silence with this. Both Annette and Lysithea laughed knowingly. “But apparently the island moves. Is that right?”

Lysithea nodded, pointing her finger at a note scribbled into the corner of the map. ‘The island that holds the bounty is set on a winding course throughout the Southern Sea. It can only be found if it is sought after. It will hide itself from the unworthy.’

“Hides itself from the unworthy?” Claude mumbled to himself. 

“Don’t worry.” Dimitri’s voice sounded from the other side of the table. “You’re one of the most successful pirates in the world. I’m sure it will think you’re worthy.”

It was odd to receive a compliment from royalty. He didn’t blush, but he felt like he should have; he felt accomplished. 

“Oh please, don’t flatter me.” sarcasm spilt from Claude’s lips regardless. “I just hope it thinks that I’m worthy of finding it.”

“It will!” Hilda chimed, nudging him with her elbow. “We should get going as soon as we can so we can start tracing the island’s path. Should I order the crew to get ready to sail?”

“Please.” The Verdant Wind left port half an hour later. The waters were calm and the sky was crystal clear. It was a perfect day for sailing. They set off with Claude behind the helm and the mages leading navigation; they were off to an excellent start to their journey. 

_ 2. _

_ Sometimes I drink whiskey, sometimes I drink rum _

_ Sometimes I drink brandy, at other times none _

_ But if I get boozy, my whiskey's my own _

_ And them that don't like me, can leave me alone _

_ x _

Despite the crew of the ship seeming just fine, Dimitri was highly susceptible to sea sickness. He slept okay for his first night on the ship, but arose nauseous in the middle of the night as the waves threw the Verdant Wind back, and forth, and back, and forth… 

It bothered him for days. He never said a thing. He puked constantly, he puked up his breakfast, his dinner, his mouth always tasted foul. Claude’s constant offers of rum, or whatever was in that flask of his became more and more enticing, just to get the sloshing of his stomach to cease in favor of a clouded head and a reckless mouth to match. 

Dimitri would admit that he avoided drinking. Most of his knights and council enjoyed a drink much more often than he did, because whenever he did choose to partake, things ended very poorly. He had a habit for blabbing after only a cup of mead or brandy, and in the past he had embarrassed himself on many occasions, only to end up regretting it the following morning. Whatever Claude drank was much stronger, and he clearly had the tolerance of a true pirate. He drank from that same flask morning, noon, and night, and he never so much as wobbled down a hallway. Dimitri tried to catch him off guard, but he was always right on top of his game. Today he found Claude repairing arrows while steering the ship all at once. He watched the captain in quiet awe and confusion for a few moments, but felt nausea rise up his throat before he could say anything. He ducked out of the room and hurried to the side of the ship, where he hurled over the edge into the deep blue sea. He felt disgusting. 

After nursing a canteen of water, Dimitri found himself on the way to Annette’s quarters. He disliked how far away their rooms were from each other, but it was ‘what they had available’ for the voyage. Annette’s temporary residence was located on a lower level of the ship than his, next door to the Verdant Wind’s mage’s room. When Dimitri turned the corner to knock on his friend’s door, it was wide open, her room void of all life. Her bed left unmade, her desk chair askew and covered in her heavy cloak, but Annette herself was nowhere to be found.

Faintly, giggling is heard from through the wall. Carefully, Dimitri knocks on Lysithea’s door, which was closed tightly. 

“Annette?” he calls carefully, more a question than a demand. “Can I borrow you?”

The door swung open a few moments later to reveal Annette with flushed cheeks and a large smile. What in the Goddess’ name was going on here? Dimitri wasn’t sure that he wanted to know. 

“Of course, what can I do for you, Your Highness?”

She seldom called him ‘Your Highness,’ the two had known each other since childhood. The thought lingered, but it was interrupted by another sudden wave of nausea, causing him to double over right to Annette’s height.

“I’m seasick.” Dimitri mumbles, swallowing his spit. It tasted metallic, like he had put a gold bullion in his mouth. “Help.”

Annette visibly suppressed laughter, looked over at Lysithea, then back at Dimitri, who was leaning against the doorframe like a winded old man. It wasn’t her fault that it was funny, but Dimitri had one hell of an immunity to sickness. Back at home he never got sick, no matter how cold it was, and when he did he was incredibly good at hiding it. To see him in such obvious turmoil was hilarious, but she could only wonder how long this had been going on already. The whole time they’d been here?

“I can help you, but I think Claude could probably help you better, he’s the pirate.”

“I can't ask Claude for help!” Dimitri hisses. “He can’t see me like this.”

“As if this is the first time Claude has seen a rich boy without his sea legs?” Lysithea calls from the back of the room. “Seriously, you should go see him. When we started sailing he was always sick, the stuff he keeps in his flask quells it.”

“Rum?” Dimitri asks, confused. 

“It’s obviously not just rum.” Lysithea is mocking him. “Don’t you pay attention?”

“Lysithea, take it easy on him.” Annette says, looking between the two worriedly. “I’m sure Claude will be happy to give you some of his drink. Just lie and say you want some rum, he won’t know you’re seasick.”

“He probably already knows!” Lysithea calls again. Annette’s face flushes red as she looks at Dimitri, not flinching.

“If you don’t mind we have some important magic stuff to get back to. If you can’t get it from Claude just come knock again and I’ll see if I can figure it out, okay?”

Dimitri lets out a long sigh and nods.

“I’ll leave you to it, then.” He turns back down the hall, closing the door for them. 

When Dimitri returned to the helm, Claude was gone. He spied Hilda’s long, pink locks swaying back and forth as she steered the Verdant Wind, the captain nowhere to be seen. He persevered and started poking around the ship for Claude. It was much bigger than it looked, but he couldn’t find the captain anywhere. Not in the dining hall, and not in his quarters by the sound of it. As the sky darkened he decided to take a break out on the deck to get some fresh air. And that’s where he found Claude.

The captain of the Verdant Wind was learning over the starboard rail and looking out at the endless ocean. The sky was blue, but not like it was at nighttime. It was a cerulean sort of twilight, and the moon just barely peeked through the clouds. Claude’s earrings glitter in a moonbeam as he turns his head to glance at Dimitri. He doesn’t say anything to him, but it isn’t malicious. Dimitri joins him, trying to keep steady as the ship rocks over a wave. They stand together silently for a few moments, looking out at the water. When it’s like this, it’s really scary. The nothingness on all sides sort of freaks Dimitri out. He wishes they’d pass an island, or a cargo ship, or even a school of fish close to the surface. He wondered how Claude could look so peaceful looking out at nothing…

“There’s a storm coming.” Claude says. 

Dimitri notes the few clouds in the sky and the relatively calm sea. 

“How do you know?”

Claude shrugs.

“I can feel it in my bones. It doesn’t feel like a normal one, though, and that worries me. You should stay below deck for the next day or so.” Claude pauses, finally turning his head toward the Prince, who was now preoccupied by the gibbous moon. “Why are you out here?”

“I, uh.” Dimitri fumbles over his words as his eyes meet Claude’s. They’re green, like the trees at the beginning of Springtime. “I wanted a drink.”

Claude chuckles, smirking over at Dimitri. He detaches a flask from his belt and hands it over. 

“I didn’t take you for the drinking type.”

“I’m not.” Dimitri unscrews the top and takes a whiff of the concoction inside. It smells like alcohol. Dimitri didn’t drink enough to identify them by smell, but this one seemed spiced, like cinnamon or nutmeg. But there was something else in there, too, fresh and clean smelling, he couldn’t identify that. He takes a tentative sip and swallows, forcing him to cough as the rum burns his throat. Claude laughs, with him, not at him.

“That’s cute,” he starts, “But you’ll get used to it.”

A rosy blush paints Dimitri’s cheeks.

“I hope I don’t.” He doesn’t feel so sick anymore. He expected the rum to sit poorly in his stomach, but now that it’s there, he feels better than he has in days. He takes another sip with more confidence, which elicits a smaller cough. Then, he hands Claude his flask back.

“I think you’ll like it, especially with the charm on it. You must be so seasick by now.”

“How’d you know?” Dimitri straightens his back up.

“How’d I know? It’s obvious, you’ve been staggering your meals so no one sees that you can’t hold your food down.”

Dimitri looks at him sheepishly, he’s right. 

“My drink is charmed to calm the stomach and the mind. If you want more there’s a whole keg of it tapped in my room.” Claude leans back from the rail, stretching his wingspan. He isn’t as big or as tall as Dimitri, but it’s closer than he had originally realized. “Goodnight, Your Highness. Stay below deck until that storm blows over, I mean it.”

Dimitri watches Claude walk away as lightning strikes to the East.

_ 3. _

_ Pump, me boys, let her fly _

_ Down to hell and up to the sky _

_ Bend your backs and break your bones _

_ We're just a million miles from home _

_ x _

As sure as the snow would fall in Faerghus in Garland Moon, Dimitri woke up to the ship braving a large wave and nearly throwing him out of bed. He could hear the hard patter of rain outside his cabin. He threw his shirt on and his wobbly legs carried him to Claude’s room. The door was cracked open but he was gone. Before taking an opportunity to look around his eyes found the keg he had been told about the night prior. He poured the tiniest bit into a cupped hand and swallowed the familiarly spiced beverage. Dimitri grabs the bureau to keep himself steady as the ship continues to rock, and takes a look around.

So these are the Captain’s Quarters, huh. Dimitri would never have found himself here if not for the circumstances, but while he was here, he didn’t feel so bad learning about the illustrious Claude von Riegan. The room was smaller than he had expected it to be, though it was larger than some of the others he had seen on the ship. It was neater than he had imagined, decorated with artifacts from all over. He recognized the flag of Almyra hanging over the bed, some teeth, bones, and scales lined around it as battle trophies. Dimitri also spied where Claude’s bow would hang on the wall, but it was gone with him right now. As Dimitri wanders over to the counter the ship jerks again, sending Dimitri flying back into the wall. 

A bell rings frantically throughout the ship. It rings in a pattern, but Dimitri has no clue what it means. All he knows is that he hears the shuffling of boots and chairs in every room surrounding him. Is it an alarm? He pokes his head out of Claude’s door to see armed crewmen rushing toward the stairs.

And then he doesn’t need to know what it means. He just acts. 

Dimitri pushes his way back to his own room and gets ready quickly. With his lance in hand, Dimitri joins the crew in rushing to the deck. It’s chaotic up there. There are people everywhere and the deck is covered in an inch of seawater. He scans the area for anyone he recognizes, but too much is going on. He looks up. And that’s when he sees it.

A sea creature as large as a building looms over the stern of the Verdant Wind. It’s slimy, and looks mushy, with a large bulbous head. It has long tendrils with suction cups lining the undersides. He couldn’t see its eyes, but he was horrified. But like any good noble, he would fight with his men. Dimitri fell into command-mode immediately. 

“Everybody get back!” he yells, straining his voice to be as loud as possible over the commotion. “Man any ballistae you have, we need to immobilize the tendrils or it’ll take the ship down!” Dimitri starts ushering crewmen into a defensive formation. Only then did he spy Claude hanging off of the crow’s nest. The captain shot a slim arrow down towards the beast, which exploded into a cloud of dark smoke and oil fire as it hit the creature’s flesh. Dimitri laughs to himself as the creature croaks in pain. He could swear that Claude winked at him. 

Dimitri shakes his head and gets back to business. He joins a group on the starboard side of the deck who are preparing a harpoon for a shot. He latches both hands around the top beam and pushes, jolting the contraption into place for a shot. He orders the green-haired boy behind the trigger to fire, and he does, landing a harpoon in the creature’s slimy side. It lets out another roar of pain, and Dimitri pats the harpoon’s handler on the back.

“Good job,” he says loudly. “Now just keep it on the line.”

Claude is still swinging around the top of the ship, fast as lightning, sending all kinds of shots into the creature. He’s hard to keep an eye on, but Dimitri can tell that he can handle himself. In a moment of peace he sees a few more familiar faces scattered throughout the deck, and eventually Lysithea, shooting dark beams from her hands. Dimitri finds himself on his way to meet her next.

“Hey,” he says in her ear. She shoots a beam at one of the monster’s tendrils creeping toward her. It shrivels away as black necrosis spreads through a section. “Have you guys fought one of these before?”

“A Giant Octopus?” she replies. “No, no really, but we haven’t lost a fight yet, and we don’t intend to.”

“Giant Octopus.” Dimitri repeats to himself. He’s had octopus once, at a formal dinner on the Western coast of Fodlan. It was much smaller than this thing. He supposed that was why this one was a  _ giant  _ octopus. “Where are its eyes?” he asks.

Lysithea points down to a black bead, very low on the creature’s head, down near the water. A plan begins forming in Dimitri’s head and without a second thought, he springs into action. The Prince grabs a loose rope from the deck and starts wrapping it around himself. He secures the makeshift harness and hands the other end of the rope to the ship’s mage. 

“Don’t drop this.” he says calmly.

“I can’t hold you!” Lysithea says frantically. Before Dimitri can respond, he sees Claude slide down from the Crow’s Nest and take the rope from Lysithea’s hand. 

“I can keep you up. Go get em.” Claude is recklessly optimistic. His hair is destroyed with wind and saltwater and his shirt is soaked, clinging to his chest and sides. Dimitri can’t help but to trust an archer’s grip on his line. Or maybe that wasn’t it, but if he died today, at least he wouldn’t have to regret the decision tomorrow. With his lance, Areadbhar, in his hand, Dimitri dives off the edge of the ship. 

Adrenaline courses through Dimitri’s veins as he plummets quickly towards the stormy sea. Ropes jerk against his chest as he reaches the end of his slack and starts to swing towards the ship. He sees another harpoon hit the octopus as his boots connect with the side of the ship. With all of the strength he can muster, he propels himself out towards the face of the beast. Leading with his lance, he jabs the octopus right in it’s eye, which immediately gushes blood as he swings past. Out of the corner of his eyes, he sees Claude skid across the deck in an effort to give him more room. Dimitri mentally apologizes to his boots and pushes off the creature’s back, attempting to wrap around the other side. He jabs blood-covered Areadbhar into the creature’s second eye.

Then it really starts to get angry. The Octopus rips from its harpoons, frantically swinging at Dimitri as it’s lost its ability to see. Claude is hoisting Dimitri back to the ship, but the octopus snaps at Dimitri with a beak he didn’t know it had, tearing through the shoulder of his shirt and into his skin. He swallows a scream.

“Reel me back!” He yells, holding on tight to the rope. Claude starts tugging the rope back toward the Verdant Wind, but the octopus is determined to take Dimitri down with him. He feels a tendril wrap around his leg, and this time he lets his scream ring out. He starts stabbing at the suction cups, desperate to free himself from a watery grave. Eventually, Claude and a few other crewmen wretch him free of the beast, one suction cup still attached to his calf. He collapses onto the deck coughing saltwater and bleeding out from his shoulder. He sees Claude and Yuri run over to untie him, and faints with a light  _ thud _ .

_ 4. _

_ Well, we're goin' round the cape _

_ Gold and shores to find _

_ 900 miles of wind and waves smashing up the sides _

_ We're goin' round the cape, there is no other way _

_ For trade, and king, and countrymen _

_ We'll brave the foam and spray _

_ x _

Dimitri wakes up feeling stiff in his room. The light streaming through his window was all too bright and his bed feels… small? He doesn’t recall where he fell asleep last night, nor does he recall anywhere in his residence that has ceilings that need this much work done. 

“You’re awake!” Annette’s voice chirps. Annette is here? Then, Dimitri finally realizes that he’s not home at all. He’s in his room on the Verdant Wind. Memories rush back to him of the storm, and the battle, and the chaos surrounding it. He must have passed out, but he was sure Annette would fill him in.

“What happened?” he asks, carefully propping himself up. He feels pain in his shoulder and abdomen, but it isn’t nearly as sharp as he expected it to be. Annette must have spent a lot of time healing him.

“You were losing a lot of blood.” Annette replied. “Can you test your right shoulder for me and see if you still have your full range of motion?”

Dimitri stretches his right arm up as instructed. He feels stiff, but he manages to do a full circle. He’s suffered injuries like this before, he knows he’ll be fine. What really grabs his attention is the deep grumble that rings from his stomach.

“I figured you’d be hungry, you’ve been out for three days.”

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Technically three and a half days, it’s a little past lunchtime now.”

Dimitri nods, taking it all in. He had to thank Annette for presumably making sure he didn’t die in his sleep, though she would be out of a job, too, if he did. Regardless, this explained the dryness in his mouth, the light feeling in his head, and the general heaviness of his limbs. He tries to push himself up out of bed, and though his body screams in protest, he manages to plant both feet on the floor beside his bed.

“Do you need help?” Annette pipes, switching into position to help carry his weight. Dimitri laughs at the thought of Annette trying to carry him.

“No, thank you.” Dimitri says. “You’ve done an amazing job tending to my injuries, but I can take it from here. I’m just going to get something to eat.” Dimitri presses himself out of bed and stretches his wingspan for the first time in days. Annette tosses a shirt his way, hitting him square in the chest. He pulls it on and heads out the door to go to get some food. Annette leaves behind him, but turns the opposite way.

“Wait, where are you going?” he asks.

“Lysithea’s room. Why?”

Dimitri ponders his next words carefully. He’s known Annette for a long time. She’s like a sister to him. He thinks he knows what’s going on here, and he doesn’t want to step on any toes, but he’s been curious about this since their very first day on the ship. He had to ask. 

“Is there something going on between you two?” 

Annette’s face turns redder than her hair. That’s all Dimitri really needs to know.

“Maybe.” she says. Dimitri smiles and gives her a thumbs up in response. “Why?”

“I was just wondering. I won’t keep you.” Dimitri turns to leave, but Annette taps him to stay this time.

“Do you have a thing with the Captain?”

“No…” he crosses his arms. He isn’t really sure if he’s lying or not. Claude is nice. He’s talented, and smooth, and very pretty. But he’s a pirate, and Dimitri is a Prince, and he isn’t really supposed to date. The last time he had a ‘thing’ with someone, it did not go well. “Where would you get that idea.”

Annete raises a strawberry blonde eyebrow at him. He presses his lips together. 

“You know you could tell me, right Dimitri?”

“I know!” he insists. “I know, and I would. He’s very handsome, but I’m not sure about anything right now.” His stomach grumbles again. “I should go eat.”

“He’s been sleeping at your bedside, you know.” 

He pauses again before he goes, but he doesn’t say anything. He isn’t sure what he’s  _ supposed  _ to say about that. He wasn’t sure, but he did know that he was starving. Whatever he was feeling, he thought some food would help him mull it all over. 

The food on the Verdant Wind wasn’t great. Actually, compared to the food he usually ate, the food on this ship wasn’t even good. He had gotten used to it by now, though the memory of Fhirdiad banquets often found him later in the evening. The Verdant Wind did have good tea. When he reached the dining hall the first thing he wanted to do was b-line it to a kettle. What he was greeted with was much different. 

As Dimitri drags his sore body through the doorway, the room immediately falls silent. For a few moments, every eye in the room is on him. Then the room erupts. Crewmen left and right are whooping, hollering, and whistling. 

“The Slayer’s awake!” shouts an orange-haired woman from the corner. The cheers grow loudly. Dimitri isn’t quite sure what to say or do. This certainly isn’t the first time people have cheered for him, but being here felt so different. He had earned the respect of these people all by himself. It felt really good. It literally warmed him from the inside-out. 

“Please, please,” Dimitri settles on a wave of his hand to try and calm the room down. “Thank you, but it was all of us, really.”

“You kicked that sorry Octopus’ ass!” a burly blond man yells from the back of the room. Crew members raise their drinks in agreement and Dimitri can’t help but to laugh. He was starting to see why people liked a life at sea. He moseyed over to grab a teapot, magically heated, and a bag of whatever tea this ship carried. He took his usual seat and poured himself a cup. There was something about tea that Dimitri really secretly loved. It was a universal constant all over the world. There were different blends, styles, and accompaniments, but you could always find a cup of tea. He could never consider himself a connoisseur, but since coming onto the Verdant Wind he found himself having a cup every morning. 

Yuri swoops by his table and drops a folded piece of paper onto his tray. He looks up to ask him what it is, but Yuri’s purple hair is already a blur in the distance. This was the sort of roundabout communication Dimitri heard his parents had used as teenagers. He unfolded the note carefully, and read the contents.

_ A little birdie told me that you were awake. Come find me in the map room. _

_ -Claude _

Claude was the one passing him notes? How did he even find out he was up? He supposed if what Annette said was true, maybe he had stopped by his room, but Dimitri thought that was unlikely. Maybe Annette told him, or maybe Annette told Lysithea and Lysithea told Claude? There was only one way to find out. Dimitri guzzled down his tea, took some food to-go, and set off to the map room.

Dimitri ducked through the doorway to find Claude at the table, fiddling with his bow as usual. He stands immediately as Dimitri enters, allowing a few arrows to clatter to the ground. 

“Dimitri!” he seemed surprised, for some reason. “I wasn’t expecting you so soon.”

“It’s not like I have royal duties to attend to.” Dimitri replies with a light laugh. “What did you need me for?”

“I just--” Claude takes a few steps closer to Dimitri, then pulls him into a hug. “I’m really glad you’re okay. I was starting to think you would never wake up.”

Dimitri nearly stumbles at Claude’s force. He thinks about the last time he was given a hug. It’s been months, at least. Maybe he had one around the holidays, but it definitely didn’t make him feel like this. He hugs Claude back, resting his head on the Captain’s shoulder. 

“I’ve faced much worse than that thing, I’m fine.”

“You took it down practically by yourself!” Claude pulls away, holding Dimitri by both shoulders. It hurts, but he suppresses his reaction. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” 

“It was nothing, really.”

“It wasn’t nothing.” Claude’s voice drops to be softer, and urgently serious. “My crew owes you their lives. And to be entirely honest, I’ve been worried that we’re off track for the treasure because I didn’t think I was worthy, but I’ve never been more sure that you are. We’re definitely gonna find it. Soon.”

“Is that another one of your bone feelings?”

“Yes,” Claude laughs, “And I wasn’t wrong the last time, was I?”

Dimitri nods.

“You are wise beyond your years, Captain.” He pauses, shifting his weight between his feet. Dimitri had felt nervous many times in his life. He had to start making choices very early, and he never knew if he was misstepping or not; but he had never felt this particular brand of nervousness. He supposed he had never asked someone out before. “I brought my lunch, by the way.” Dimitri holds up the spoils he’d wrapped in a napkin. “Do you want to share?”

“Sure,” Claude smiles. “I’d love to.”

_ 5. _

_ Each time I gaze behind the screws _

_ I wish I had Saint Macuil's shoes. _

_ Then I'd dance on down that silvery lane, _

_ And rest in my true love's arms again. _

_ x _

Dimitri’s door swung open to reveal a blur of orange and white hair that he had become all too familiar with. 

“They haven’t called it for sure, but we’re coming up on land.” Lysithea says quickly. “I think Claude wanted it to be a surprise, but Annette and I think you belong above deck. You just didn’t hear it from us.”

Annette takes Lysithea by the hand and they’re gone down the hallway just as fast as they’ve arrived. Moments later, bells ring throughout the ship. Clattering directly follows as the whole crew is all rushing toward the bow of the ship. Dimitri joined the crowd and was ushered upstairs. Having not seen land in what felt like forever, the lush island that the ship was approaching seemed like an oasis. It was a small key, but it was slowly getting bigger as they approached it. Covered in palm trees and smooth, white sand, Dimitri could only imagine what beautiful treasure it held.

Treasure.

His mind had been elsewhere lately. He had been on this ship all this time, and he was technically on royal duty, but for once in his life, it really didn’t feel like it. He supposed that this was a lot more like a vacation, once you got past the sea sickness. And he had never had one of those before. 

The crew threw down an anchor and prepared to disembark. Like clockwork, Claude and Hilda strode out into the madness on deck. 

“Claude!”

The captain was on his way over to him just as soon as he called. He was in his glory this morning, just like the day they met. The sun shone for Claude von Riegan; today, it was especially grand and bright. Beside that, the Captain and First Mate were in their Sunday best today, sporting long coats that grazed the floor like a light gust of wind. 

“Dimitri.” Claude pressed a kiss on his hand, glancing off toward the island beside the ship. “Your treasure awaits.”

“Our treasure.” Dimitri corrected. “You and your crew got us here, together.” He nods at Hilda with a smile, and she seems pleased. 

“Hilda, please go organize our hooligans into search parties while I escort the Prince ashore.”

“By all means.” Hilda turns on her heel and heads out across the deck, leaving Dimitri and Claude along under the clear, blue sky. They stood together in silence for a while, staring off at the island, into the ocean, and occasionally stealing a glance at each other. 

“Are you ready?” Claude asks softly.

“No,” Dimitri laughs softly, shaking his head as his gaze met his boots. “Not at all. I never doubted that we’d make it, but it still doesn’t feel real. Do you know what I mean?”

“Yeah,” Claude nods. “I used to feel that way all the time when I was a less experienced sailor. It will feel more real once you get your hands on the reward.”

“We should go then?”

“Lead the way, my liege.”

The beach was overwhelmingly beautiful up close. Despite the heat, the sand was cool to the touch, and ridden with fragments of iridescent shells. The island boasted a center dense with tropical foliage, with vines and flowers, but Dimitri knew that he was looking for a cave. He closed his eyes and let his intuition guide him around the shoreline until he found what he thought was the cave from his dreams.

It didn’t take long. Within 20 minutes, he and Claude found themselves at the mouth of a wide cave. It was unnaturally smooth on the inside, almost as if some had prepared the cave for eventual visitors. Eyes wide open, the two lit a torch and headed inside in pursuit of treasure. The path was long, dark, and just a little bit damp. It felt unceremonious, but Claude continued to assure Dimitri that it was always a little bit of a trek.

“The bigger the treasure, the longer the hike.” he said. “Trust your instincts, we’ll get there.”

Dimitri let out a breath. 

“I trust you,” he says slowly. “I have that bone feeling that you talk about. I think we’re almost there.”

“Do you know what it looks like?”

Dimitri shakes his head ‘no.’

“But I can only imagine we’d know it when we see--” The Prince stops as a brief glint of something is reflected in his eye. He notes a slim set of stairs to their left. They’ve made it, he thinks, but he needs to get this off his chest before they strike gold.

“What, what is it?” Claude rests a hand on Dimitri’s shoulder, careful to touch him as softly as he would a woodland creature. Dimitri was huge, and strong, but easier to startle than anyone would guess. This was the last place to spook the Prince. 

“I think we’re here.” Dimitri says, gesturing to the stone-carved staircase. “But before we go in, I just want you to know something.”

“What?” Claude retorts with a smirk. “That you have a crush on me?”

Dimitri’s body tenses as every ounce of his blood rushes up to his cheeks.

“You knew?”

“Of course I knew.” Claude says. “I just didn’t think you’d ever get out with it.”

“I wanted to be a  _ little  _ more eloquent than that.” Dimitri can’t help but to laugh at himself. He had always been abysmal at speaking, but this moment took the cake. He’d felt less tongue tied at funerals he could recall. “I wanted to say that even if there is no treasure down there, or if it’s something metaphorical and intangible, I really enjoyed my time on your ship with you… and that I wouldn’t have had it any other way. And I do like you. Quite a lot, I think.”

Claude reaches around the back of Dimitri’s neck and pulls him down into a kiss. Their torch clatters to the floor, fire dimming to a dull spark as Dimitri scrambles to retaliate in a way that he deems correct. He settles with his hands resting on Claude’s cheeks, holding the real treasure he had found on this voyage. 

“If I could keep you on my ship until the ocean takes me, I would.” Claude mumbles. “You’re one of the most amazing men I’ve ever met. And if it’s up to me, you’re returning to Faerghus a hero. So go march down those stairs and get what’s yours, Your Highness.”

Dimitri pulls away with a wide, lazy grin on his face, then picks up his torch to try and salvage the flame. He’s kissed someone before, but never like that. He can feel his heart pounding in his chest, digging a burning hole between his ribs that could only be satiated by more of whatever that was. He kisses Claude again, quickly and with purpose, before he turns toward the staircase. It was time. 

The staircase was uncomfortably skinny, winding in a spiral downwards to the treasure room. When Dimitri finally arrived there, it was as dark as midnight. He uses his torch to light a piece carved into the wall arm’s reach above his head. As the fire spreads, he sees it all.

The treasure of St. Macuil.

A sea of gold, gems, glowing objects he had never seen before. Document cases, armor, and other garments were strewn around the room. He reaches down to touch it, just to confirm that he isn’t in another dream. And he isn’t. He was worthy. And by the Goddess, this was beyond beautiful.

With a chunk of emerald in one hand, he yells up the stairs at the top of his lungs.

“We’re gonna need all hands on deck, Captain! It’s a big one.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> this fic was a great time! here are the shanty citations (lol) for each section  
> 1\. bones in the ocean / the longest john  
> 2\. rye whiskey / tex ritter  
> 3\. pump shanty / the mechanisms  
> 4\. round the cape / the longest johns  
> 5\. the grey funnel line / the longest johns


End file.
